Flying Scotsman

You clearly missed my “ “
As it happens I equally dislike dull BR Green, though I do like BR Blue. I’ve cleaned Tornado in all three liveries, the Blue is my favourite, closely followed by Apple Green.
My first two mainline tours were behind Pegler’s FS in Apple Green, so that might also colour my judgement, plus I never saw a loco in BR service in their cowpat green.

 

No, I spotted it, but I thought I'd have a bit more fun.

I like the BR Blue, and it suits Tornado. It's also the livery 60163 would have been turned out in if it had been built by BR.

 

Has that James Squared been getting to you?

 

Hardly. As I lived in Mid Sussex as a youngster I can remember being bowled over by Stepney's eye catching "green" colour before young Tom was even born. It is probable that good taste is just synonymous with the name James

Peter

 

As my younger brother is a James and is unaccountably not interested in railways, I’m not entirely sure of that!

 

I should check if we are related! (Despite now living in deepest Wiltshire, my family is - on my father's side - from Sussex).

Tom

 

Is this colour-blindness genetic then, or is there something in the water??

 

My mother’s family on her father’s side was from West Sussex, one of whom was a guard on the LBSCR.

 

I notice a certain loco, is going to a certain place today and the TOC is RailAdventure. Seems unusual to me, raises a number of questions, like is it being piloted by another loco?

 

I think it's being collected by Rail Adventure's class 43 power cars.

Dave B

 

Correct.

 

Gosh thats an unusual consist. the runaround at a certain place will be interesting.

 

Returning it to as built condition is a non starter, it would be cheaper to build a replica. New boiler, new tender tank, new cab profile, right hand drive and various small modifications. Having spent £4.5m on its last mismanaged overhaul it shouldn’t need much doing to it next time, giving it back to Riley’s would see it with plenty of work with West Coast.

 

They have done it before now as seen here transferring the A3 from Shildon to York last September

It seems that Northern Steam cannot find a steam operator to move the loco under its own steam so this is the way it will normally be moved around the country.

Peter

 

Northern Steam had been working with DB Cargo who did a number of moves last year for Scotsman in addition to the Belmond and UK Railtours trip so why they aren't using them now is beyond me.

 

I'm sure that you will be relieved to hear that we are unlikely to be related Tom. My parents moved to near Haywards Heath when I was very young because it was an easy commute to Victoria, near where my father had his office. But I have no long standing family connections with Sussex, just plenty of happy childhood memories of the county.

Peter

 

You are assuming that DB are both willing and able to resource such moves and do so at a reasonable rate. Like in any commercial contract Northern Steam is likely to use the company that best meets their needs in terms of cost and flexability.

Peter

 

It might be the cost factor pushing Northern Steam to Rail Adventures as you said. Have heard DB is a tad on the pricey side, however I do think they are more then willing to do the work, they handled the majority of the moves last year but perhaps Northern Steam are moving away from using DB.

 

There are several factors, crew availability and route knowledge being two. Does DB now have any steam crews based north of the Thames? I’m sure Steve Hanczer (not sure of the spelling) has now retired but there could be others.

 

Steve H retired?! He always looked like one of the younger mainline steam drivers when he was a regular on Tornado turns.